Golf club



Aug. 19, 1947. J. J. JAKosKY GOLF CLUB 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'iled Nov. '14, 194:11`

Snnetor smc attorney Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNIT-ED sVTATEs PATENT OFFICE Y 2,425,8os

Y t .j GOLF CLUB g n John Jay lakosky, ios Angeles, Calif.` Application November 14, 1944, serial No. 563,370

' 7 claims; (o1. 27s- 79) This invention `relates to golf clubs,.and.par ticularly to a multi-purpose adjustable-head golf club in which the dispositionof thestriking face relative to the shaft may be varied in orderto adapt the clubfor diiferent uses in playing, for` example, for use as either of two different irons having different combinations of loft angle and angle of lie, or as a putter, or `other conventional type of club. i i

The principal object of the invention is to provide a multi-purpose golf club provided with a head having whereby the loft angle, and ypreferably `also the angle of lie, may be quickly and easily variedin proper relation to each other` to adapt the club for either of two diiferent4 uses. If desired, provision may also be made `forffurther adjustment of the shaft in order to adapt `the club for additional uses.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the angle of lie of the shaft is varied in proper coordination with of the striking face.

A further object is to ing the effective length coordination with a variation in angular disposition thereof.

A further object is `to providea` construction that affords a strongandrigidattachment and driving engagement between the shaft and head of the club in each out excessive weight.

Multi-purpose golf clubs have been proposed by others, usually provided with a club head rotatably connected to the shaft to give any desired angle of loft. In suchconstructions, the'geo-V metric cross-section of the head isv produce an undesirably high center of gravity of the head when rotated to-position of VVsteep loft angle. Y to provide a construction' that is adapted to main'- tain the center of gravity of the head relatively low in each position-of adjustment. thereof rela#- tive to the head. By the combination' of .a plurality of heads each adaptedlto be secured to the same shaft in each of two or more different positions, I am able to obtain the desired variation in angular disposition without producing anunduly high center of gravity in any case, and also to provide a proper relationship between the weight'of the head and the lengthof the shaft. According to myinvention,the aboveobjects,

as well as other; objects that will be pointed out hereinafter or will be apparent -from the following description, are accomplished by providing rahead a single striking face and with meansV changes in theloft anglev provide means for vary. of the shaft in properv position of adjustment, with,

such asv to It is a particular objectof this invention "i having a single striking face, and a shaft adapted to be detachably lsecured to said headin eachof .a plurality of different positions relative`to. the striking face of the head, the respective positions being such as to change the loft angle of the club, and preferably `to provide also a properly coordinated change in the angle of lie, when the shaft isshifted from one position to another. `In some cases means may also be providedwhereby shiftlng of the shaft from one position to another will also changevthe effective length of the shaft.

Suitable means are provided for detachably and,

rigidly securing the shaft to the head in each of the different positions. The means employed for this purpose preferably comprises a shouldered slot formed `within the the shaft and removably `engageable `with said shouldered slot with the shaft in either of two different positions in which the shaft extends in differentangular directions relative to the head.

The mounting means preferably includesa` engage a surface on thehead when secured in. either` of two relatively reversed positions, so as` to vary the angle ofthe shaft relative to the head for therespective positions. t y

In order to permit a further' change in=the.

angular` direction of theshaft, and also to provide for varying the effective length thereof, I may either provide the head with` asecond shouldered slot with which the mounting meanslmay also be removably engaged, or` may provide one or more additional heads adapted for engagement therewith, 4each having differently A disposed shouldered slots. i

The accompanying drawings illustrate golf clubs in, accordance with gmyinvention, andlreferring thereto: y y Fig. A1 is a planview of one form of golf. club head, withthe` lower portion of the shaft and its associated mounting means shown in dot-dashl position of engagement with theV lines, in one Fig. 2l is` areal elevationof the head with lthe shaft and mountingmeans shown partly insection, `and with the shaft inthe same -position relative to the head as indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 1;

, Fig.` Slis a sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig, 72,'-

Fig. 4 is ka sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 3, with the shaft secured in a different posihead adjacent the innerend thereof, and mounting means associatedwith tion relative to the head to provide a change in angular direction thereof;

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the parts of the mounting means employed in this form of construction;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the mounting means detached from the head, taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 3;

Figs. 7 and 8 are side and front elevations, respectively, showing in full lines the shaft secured to the head in the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and in dot-dash lines the shaft secure-d in the position illustrated in Fig. 4.

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views, showing the shaft secured to the head in still another position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view comparable to Fig. 3y showing a modified form of mounting means for securing the shaft to the head;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section on line I2,-I2 in Fig. 1.1; and

Fig. `13is a sectional view on line I3-I3 in Fig. 12.

VThe club shown in Figs. 1 to 1 0 comprises a head I and a shaft 2 adapted to be detachably secured thereto in each of a plurality of different positions. n

The head I has a forwardly directed striking face 3 inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its lower` edge 4 to its upper edge 5. The main portion of the head lying rearwardly of the striking face may be .Qi any desired cross-sectional configuration designed to provide the proper weight and the desired distribution of weight for satisfactory use. A stream-lined form is illustrated in the drawings, in which the rear portion is of generally rounded shape With its greatest thickness somewhat below the mid-height thereof, so that the center of gravity of the head is kept comparativelyloweven though it is slightly tilted upward vand forward about its lower front edge 4 when the shaft is secured thereto in certain positions,

nt itsinner end the head is shown as provided with a neck portion 1 which extends upward a short"distance'above the inner portion of the upper edge 5 of the striking face and is provided with a plane upwardly directed face or bearing surface 8 which is inclined downwardly toward the inner en'd of the head.

The shaft`2, of which only the lower end portion is shown in the drawings, is of conventional design and may comprise a metal tub'e, preferably tapered somewhat toward the lower end. The shaft may be of any desired length, diameter and weight, and provided with a suitable grip portion adjacent its upper end, all of which are conventional and form no essential part of the present invention.

The head I is provided at its inner end, preferably in the neck portion 1, with a slot I located in the upperportion thereof and opening through the rear face as at II. Said slot extends forward partly across the face 8, but terminates at its forward end short of the forward face of the neck portion 'I, to provide a positioning stop as shown `at I2. It is of inverted T-shape in crosssection, provided with a central slot portion I3 extending a short distance below the upper face 8, and two laterally disposed slot portions I4 extending outward at each side from the bottom of the central portion, thus providing adownwardly directed shoulder or bearing surface I at each side of said central slot portion.

' being of inverted T-shape so as The central slot portion I3 is of substantially uniform depth throughout its length, and the shoulders I5 are shown as being parallel to the bearing face 8.

The shaft is provided with mounting means by which it may be detachably secured to the head in either of two different positions of engagement with the shouldered slot I0. Said mounting means is shown as comprising a mounting member I1 movably connected to the lower end of the shaft, the lower portion of said mounting member V to be siidabiy insertable in and removable from slot IU when in either of two relatively reversed positions. Said lower portion thus comprises a central web portion I8 adapted to enter the central slot portion I3 and two ange portions I9 projecting laterally in opposite directions at the bottom of said web portion, adapted to enter the respective lateral slot portions I4.

The mounting means also includes a shank or hosel member 2 I secured to the lower end of shaft 2 as by pin 22 and provided at its lower end with an internally threaded socket 23 engaging the externally threaded stem 24 at the upper end of mounting member I1, and a cylindrical sleeve 25 fitting rotatably around the lower portion of the shank and projecting beyond the lower end thereof. Both mounting member I1 and sleeve k25 are rotatable relative to shank 2I and shaft 2 but are maintained by engagement with said shank in axial alinement with said shaft. Sleeve 25 is longitudinally slidable relative to mounting member I1 but is keyed thereto to prevent relative rotation of these parts, as by engagement of the opposite sides of web I8 in notches 26 in an inwardly extending ange 21 at the lower end of sai-d sleeve, which may be internally threaded to permit passage of stem 24 therethrough in assembling these parts,

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper faces of the flanges I9 of mounting member I1 and the lower end face 3| of sleeve 25 are parallel to each other and are inclined obliquely with respect to the axis of the shaft. Said faces are shown as being inclined, in a plane parallel to the sides of web portion I8, at a predetermined angle with respect to the line Y-Y which is perpendicular to the axis X-X of shaft 2. The upper end of sleeve 25 lies in a plane perpendicular to axis X-X and engages an outwardly extending annular shoulder 32 on shank 2I. Thus, due to the threaded engagement of the shank with mounting member I1, rotation of shaft 2 in one direction permits sleeve 25 to be moved upward sufciently so that the mounting member may be slidably inserted in or removed from slot II. When said mounting member is inserted in said slot, into engagement with the forward end I2 thereof, a slight rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction draws the lower end of said sleeve and the upper faces of flanges I9 toward one another into tight clamping engagement with face 8 and shoulders I5 respectively. The engagement of the mounting member I1 with the forward end I2 of slot II assists in properly positioning the shaft relative to the head.

It will be evident that mounting member I1 may be inserted in slot II while in either of two relatively reversed positions, that is, with either end of the central web I8 directed toward the inner end I2 of said slot, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 respectivelyQ d When the parts are connected with the sleeve grasped 25 and mountinglmember I'I in the position shown in Fig. 3, the' axis X-X of the shaft is' inclined rearward from the line z -TZ whichjis perpendicular to .face 8, at an angle as indicated at A', while if the parts are connected with the sleeve and mounting member turned 180 tothe reversed position shown in Fig. 4, the axis of the shaft is inclined forward with respect to said line Z-Z at an equal angle as indicated at A". Since the angular disposition of face 3 relative to the inclination of striking face 3 is fixed, this change in angular direction of the shaft relative to face 8 is such as to produce a corresponding change in the loft angle of the club, that is, a change in the angle between the shaft 2 and the striking face 3 of the head, when viewed from the side.

Furthermore, the direction of slot I i and the inclination of the engaging surfaces are preferably such that the resulting change in angular direction also produces a properly coordinated change in the direction of the shaft relative to the head when viewed from a position in front of the club,'thus also changing the angle of lie of the club,that is, the angle between the shaft and the vertical when the lower edge t of the striking face is substantially horizontal, as viewed from the front.

This is illustrated more fully in Figs. 7 and 8. The shaft is shown, in full lines, secured in the same position as in Fig. 3. The loft angle of the club is indicated at A1 and the angle of lie at B1. These angles, for example, may be approximately 20 and S11/2, respectively, thus adapting the club for use as a No. l iron. When the shaft is secured in the position shown in Fig. 4 and also shown in dot-dash lines in Figs. 7 and 8, the loft angle is increased about 9 and the angle of lie decreased slightly, adapting the club for use as a, No. 3 iron. Thus, the loft angle A3 and angle of lie B3 may in this case be approximately 29 and 3G", respectively.

It will be obvious that the same` shaft and mounting means may also be used with other heads providing other combinations of different loft angles and angles of lie when secured in the two different positions. A full complement of conventional striking faces can thus be obtained by the us-e of two or three heads and a single shaft of the type described. herein. The face or .l

faces on the shaft mounting means that engage a face or faces on the head to vary the angle of the shaft when secured in the two relatively reversed positio-ns are inclined at an angle to the perpendicular to the shaft axis, and the magnitude of this angle of inclination is dependent upon the range of loft angle variation desired for each head.

Provision may also be made for obtaining a further adjustment in angular relation of the shaft to the head, and, if desired, an adjustment in effective length of the shaft. For example, I have shown the combined No. lfNo. 3 iron particularly described above, as further provided with an additional shouldered slot 35 whereby the shaft `i! may be secured to head I in a suitable position for use of the club as a putter or as a runup iron, depending upon the orientation of the mounting means with respect to said slot.

Slot 35 is of the same general form and crosssectional configuration as slot I I. It is located below slot II and is also shown as being displaced slightly therefrom in a direction toward the outer end of thehead i, but is preferably located as close to slot Il as possible. The rear face of the head is recessed as at 36 in order to receive the 'mounitingy inserted infs'lot j 35. j' Said v"s lot extends `forward fronitherear'face of the head, across-an upward'ly directedbearingsurfaceor face` 3 1 at the bottom of recessSB.

. Said face 3.'I` is inclined differently than face 8, both` with reference tothe inclination of striking face``3 when viewed from the side and also with reference to'thejlower edge `4 when viewed from thffront. "Slot V35 is provided with shoulders 3B parallel to face 31 and comparable in relative pos'ition"j'and functionto shoulders I5 of slot lI. The inclination "of face 3l and shoulders 3S `and the direction of slot 35 are such that, when `the shaft niountingmmberl I is inserted in said slot withfmember II andsleeve 25 turned to the same relative position as shown in Fig. 3, and the shaft is rotated to'bring theparts into clamping engagement as'de's'cribed above, the shaft is secured tothe head in a'p'osition and direction for use as aputter, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this position, for example, the loft angle Ap and angle of liefBp may be'approximately 2% and 18, respectively.

Itwill be noted that, due to the slot 35 and face 3l'V being lower than slot II and faceS, the effective length of the shaft is also reduced when secured in this latter position.

"The vdirectionof slot 35 is such that when the shaft is secured to the head at said slot and with the member I I and sleeve 25 in the reversed position. corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4, the angle of lie is increased slightly, for example to about 191/2, while the loft angle is again increased, for example, to about 111/29, so that the club may be used as a run-up'club.

i The form of mounting means described above possesses the combined advantages of simplicity of operation,` strong. and rigid attachment of the shaft to the head when in clamping engagement,

. and protection of working parts from access of dirt and sandduring useoi the club However, it is to be'understood-that my invention is not i limited to the use of this'particular form of mounting means, A An-alternative `form of` mounting means is shown/for example, in Figs. 1l to 13. Fig. 11 is a-sectional view comparable to Fig. 3, and head i and shaft 2' are generally similar to the head i and shaft 2 rdescribed above, except as specilically described belo-W.

The shouldered slot 4I is located in a position similar to that of slot I I above, but the central slot portion 42 which opens through the top'face of head l is of somewhat greater width than in. the other case. Laterally disposed slot portions 43 ,extend outward from the bottom of the central portion 42. The plane bottom face 44 of the slot is inclined in a manner comparable to thebearing face 8 described above. The downwardlyfacing shoulders 45 at the upper sides of the respective lateral slot portions are inclined downward -and outward, as shown in Fig. 12, while their .inclinationin planes parallel to a plane-extendingmedially and longitudinally of the slot is parallel to thatl of the bottom face M, as shown in Fig.\11.f -I

` The mounting means is shown as comprising a cylindrical Vmounting member i8 Whose outside diamtri's somewhat less Vthan the width-of centrai slot portion 42. Said mounting member is provided with an internal bore 49 at whose lower end is a downwardly converging conical face 5I, and with two outwardly projecting flangesl 52 at opposite sides thereof at its lower end. Said means-When member 'nj jrs" mounting member is also provided with longitudinal slots 53 at positions midway between the two flanges 52, extending upward a substantial distance from the lower end thereof, so that the lower portion thereof is formed as a split sleeve and the portions at opposite sides of the slots may be spread apart to force flanges '52 outwardly in lateral slot portions 43 The upper faces 54 of said flanges are inclined downward and outward substantially parallel to shoulders 45 so that such outward movement thereof brings said anges into tight clamping engagement between the shoulders 52 and the bottom face 44 of the slot.

The shaft 2 is provided at its lower end with a shank 56 which may be formed integrally therewith or may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. A portion of said shank is externally threaded as at 51 and engages internal threads 58 on mounting member 48, while the lower portion of the shank extends downward within bore 49 and the lower end 59 thereof is of inverted conical shape and is adapted to engage the conical face 5l of the mounting member 48 and force the flanges 52 outward as described above upon rotation of shaft 2 and shank 55 in a direction causing said shank to be screwed into said mounting member.

The upper faces l54 of flanges 52 and the lower end face 6| of mounting member 48 are inclined obliquely with respect to the axis of the shaft, in a plane parallel to the outer ends of said flanges. Thus, as shown in Fig. 11, said faces are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the line Y-Y which is perpendicular to the axis XX of the shaft 2.

When the mounting member 48 is inserted in slot 4| in the relative position shown in Fig. 11, and clamped to the head l by rotation of shaft 2 as described above, the axis X-X of the shaft is inclined rearward with respect to the bottom face 44 of said slot in the same manner as in Fig. 3 above, while if inserted and secured in the reversed position (that is, with member 48 turned 186 from the position shown) the axis of the shaft is inclined forward at the same angle in a manner comparable to that shown in Fig. 4.

In this case also, the direction of slot 4l and the inclination of the engaging surfaces are preferably such that the resulting change in angular direction of the shaft relative to the head produces a change in both the loft angle and the angle of lie of the club, as described above in connection with Figs. '7 and 8.

It will be understood that, in either of the forms of construction shown, suitable letters, numbers, or other markings may be provided on the club head and on the shaft mounting means, for indicating the proper position of securing the shaft to the head to provide the proper shaftstriking face relationship for use as a particular type of club,

The angle of lie is referred to herein as the angle between the shaft axis and the vertical when the lower edge of the striking face is horizontal, as viewed from the front of the club. In some publications, this term is defined as the angle between the shaft axis and the lower edge of the striking face, as viewed from the front, in which case the angles will be the complements of those given herein.

I claim:

l. A golf club comprising a head provided with a slot opening through its rear face and positioned adjacent the inner end thereof; a shaft;

a mounting member connected to said shaft and formed so as to be slidably insertable in and removable from said slot while in either of two relatively reversed positions, said mounting member being shaped to position said shaft in one angular direction relative to said head when inserted in said slot in one of said two positions and to position said shaft in a different angular direction relative to said head when inserted in said slot in the other of said two positions; and means for rigidly securing said shaft and mounting member to said head when said mounting member is inserted in said slot in either of said positions.

2. An adjustable-head golf club comprising a head having a forwardly directed inclined striking face and provided at one end with a slot in the upper portion thereof, said slot extending forwardly from the rear face of the head and being closed at its forward end and formed to provide a downwardly facing shoulder spaced below the top of said head; a shaft; and means associated with said shaft for detachably securing it to said head; said detachable securing means including a mounting member slidably insertable in and removable from said slot While in either of two relatively reversed positions and provided with an upwardly facing shoulder inclined obliquely with respect to the axis of the shaft adapted to engage the shoulder on the head so as to position the shaft in one angular direction relative to the head when Said mounting member is inserted in said slot while in one of said two positions, and in another angular direction when said mounting member is inserted in the slot while inthe other of said two positions.

3. A golf club as set forth in claim 2, in which the slot and shoulders are so formed that said one angular direction of the shaft differs from the other, both in respect to the angle relative to the inclination of the striking face and in respect to the angle relative to the lower edge of the striking face, whereby a change from one angular direction to the other produces a change in both the loft angle and the angle of lie of the club.

4. An adjustablahead golf club comprising a head having a striking face inclined upward and rearward from its lower edge and provided with a shouldered slot adjacent its inner end; a shaft; and mounting means associated with said shaft and adapted for engagement with said shouldered slot for detachably securing said shaft to said head in either of two positions differing from each other both in respect to the angle of the shaft relative to the inclination of the striking face and in respect to the angle of the shaft relative to the lower edge of the striking face, whereby changing said shaft from one of said positions to the other changes both the loft angle and the angle of lie of the club.

5. An adjustable head golf club comprising a head having a striking face inclined upward and rearward from its lower edge and provided with a shouldered slot adjacent its inner end and with a second shouldered slot at a different position; a shaft; and mounting means associated with said shaft and adapted for engagement with each of said shouldered slots for detachably securing said shaft to said head in either of two positions, said shouldered slots being so disposed as to provide different effective lengths of the shaft when secured in the respective positions by engagement of said mounting means with the respective slots.

6. An adjustable-head golf club comprising a head provided with a shouldered slot adjacent its inner end; a shaft; and mounting means associated with said shaft for detachably securing said shaft to said head and including a member adapted for engagement with and removal from said slot when in either of two relatively reversed positions, said member having a face shaped to engage the shoulder of said slot in such manner as to position said shaft in one anguiar direction relative to said head when said member is engaged with said slot in one of said two positions, and to position said shaft in a different angular direction relative to said head When said member is engaged with said slot in the other of said two positions.

7. An adjustable-head golf club comprising: a head provided with a shouldered slot open at its rear end and extending forwardly Within said head adjacent the inner end thereof; a shaft; and mounting means associated with said shaft for detachably securing said shaft to said head and including a member slidably insertable within and removable from said slot through the open REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,219,670 Wettlaufer Oct. 29, 1940 1,697,846 Anderson Jan. 8, 1929 2,155,830 Howard Apr. 25, 1939 

